WorldWide Drilling Resource

Northern Plains Chapter of the ISEE President: Ron Eastman Tel: 307-680-8805 www.npcisee.org 27 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® JUNE 2014 Ammonium Nitrate Presentation at Best in the West by WorldWide Drilling Resource ® At the recent International Society of Explosives Engineers’ Best in the West Dri l l and Blast Conference in Spearfish, South Dakota, we had the pleasure of meeting Todd Klessman, sen- ior policy advisor with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). During his presentation, he highlight- ed some of the statutes regarding ammo- nium nitrate (AN). The 2008 ConsolidatedAppropriations Act was signed in December 2007. Part of that act is section 563 which covers the secure handling of AN. This statute instructs DHS to regulate the sale and transfer of AN by an AN facility to prevent it from being used in an act of terrorism. Additionally, the statute requires DHS to: j Register certain AN sellers and purchasers, and check them against the terrorist screening database. j Require AN facilities to maintain records on AN sales or transfers for at least two years. j Require facilities to report thefts or losses of AN. j Inspect/audit facilities’ records. DHS is currently developing the final rule for the AN security program. Klessman also discussed Executive Order 13650 which was issued in re- sponse to the 2013 fertilizer plant ex- plosion in West, Texas. This order directed the DHS, EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), and the Department of Labor ’s OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) to cochair an interagency working group to improve the various aspects of chemical facility safety and security. The group discussed: j Improving operational coordina- tion with state and local partners. j Enhancing federal agency coor- dination and information sharing. j Modernizing policies, regulations, WWDR photo. and standards. j Working with stakeholders to identify best practices. The group is expected to submit a status report to the White House high- lighting some of the great work done throughout the industry and detailing a proposed path to continue improving chemical safety and security. Look for additional information in an upcoming issue of WWDR as we keep you updated on the progress being made within the industry! To all the Dads out there...